''The Bing Crosby Show for Chesterfield'' was a 30-minute musical

variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

old-time radio program starring entertainer Bing Crosby. The series ran on CBS Radio from 1949–1952. The series was sponsored by

Chesterfield cigarettes Chesterfield is a brand of cigarette, named after Chesterfield County, Virginia. The brand is owned by conglomerate Altria and produced by its subsidiary Philip Morris USA. History A blend of Turkish and Virginia tobacco, Chesterfields were int ...

and was usually recorded in Hollywood or

San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17th ...

. Notable guest stars and appearances on the series included Peggy Lee,

Ella Fitzgerald Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917June 15, 1996) was an American jazz singer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, in ...

Al Jolson Al Jolson (born Eizer Yoelson; June 9, 1886 – October 23, 1950) was a Lithuanian-American Jewish singer, comedian, actor, and vaudevillian. He was one of the United States' most famous and highest-paid stars of the 1920s, and was self-billed ...

Bob Hope Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was a British-American comedian, vaudevillian, actor, singer and dancer. With a career that spanned nearly 80 years, Hope appeared in Bob Hope filmography, more than 70 short and ...

Mary Martin Mary Virginia Martin (December 1, 1913 – November 3, 1990) was an American actress and singer. A muse of Rodgers and Hammerstein, she originated many leading roles on stage over her career, including Nellie Forbush in '' South Pacific'' (194 ...

The Andrews Sisters The Andrews Sisters were an American close harmony singing group of the swing and boogie-woogie eras. The group consisted of three sisters: contralto LaVerne Sophia Andrews (July 6, 1911 – May 8, 1967), soprano Maxene Anglyn Andrews (January ...

, The Bell Sisters and

The John Scott Trotter Orchestra John Scott Trotter Jr. (June 14, 1908 – October 29, 1975), also known as "Uncle John", was an American arranger, composer and orchestra leader. Trotter was best known for conducting the John Scott Trotter Orchestra which backed singer and ...

Show origins

Singer and entertainer Bing Crosby had finished a three-year engagement with

Philco Philco (an acronym for Philadelphia Battery Company) is an American electronics industry, electronics manufacturer headquartered in Philadelphia. Philco was a pioneer in battery, radio, and television production. In 1961, the company was purchased ...

and ABC on ''

Philco Radio Time ''Philco Radio Time'' was an old-time radio radio series starring entertainer Bing Crosby. The series ran over ABC Radio with episodes airing from October 16, 1946–June 1, 1949. The series also was syndicated for a period of time over th ...

'' which had ended in June 1949. Crosby then returned to

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...

where

picked up the sponsorship tab for his show. The show was named ''The Bing Crosby Show for Chesterfield'' and premiered on September 21, 1949.

Overview

Following his three-year stint with

which had concluded in the previous June, Bing Crosby's first programme with his new sponsors was broadcast on the 21st September 1949. The decade which was drawing to a close had consolidated Crosby's position as the world's most popular singer and in comparison to periods of a similar duration, was his most productive in terms of feature films, records, radio time and personal appearances. Only in retrospect can the massive transformation that overtook the entertainment business, in the Fifties, be appreciated. The ailing cinema still believed it could find its salvation in gimmicks and dabbled with wide screens, stereophonic sound and 3D. In 1954, the advent of rock and roll was to provide the most astonishing and far-reaching changes that had ever taken place in the field of popular music. Radio was running out of sponsors and the “smart” money was backing television. The public infatuation with the medium became absolute and advertisers were swift to recognise the obvious advantage to be gained from visual presentation of their products.

Liggett & Myers Liggett Group ( ), formerly known as Liggett & Myers Tobacco Company, is the fourth largest tobacco company in the United States. Its headquarters are located in Durham, North Carolina, though its manufacturing facility is 30 miles to the west i ...

, manufacturers of

, were no exception, keeping a foot firmly placed in both camps. In addition to Bing Crosby, they had also acquired the services of Perry Como and

Arthur Godfrey Arthur Morton Godfrey (August 31, 1903 – March 16, 1983) was an American radio and television broadcaster and entertainer who was sometimes introduced by his nickname The Old Redhead. At the peak of his success, in the early-to-mid 1950s, Godf ...

and were later to add, if only briefly,

and

Martin & Lewis Martin and Lewis were an American comedy duo, comprising singer Dean Martin and comedian Jerry Lewis. They met in 1945 and debuted at Atlantic City's 500 Club on July 25, 1946; the team lasted ten years to the day. Before they teamed up, Martin wa ...

Season one

With

on board as Crosby's new sponsor after his stint with Philco on ABC Radio's ''

'', Bing returned to his original home on radio,

. The network premiered ''The Bing Crosby Show for Chesterfield'' on Wednesday September 21, 1949 at 9:30 pm (Eastern) which was the time slot that series would remain in for its entire three-year run. Billboard liked the opening show. "Bing’s back and all’s right with the airwaves. Sparked by the crooner’s mellow mike manners and a showmanly assist from guest stars Peggy Lee and

Abe Burrows Abe Burrows (born Abram Solman Borowitz; December 18, 1910 – May 17, 1985) was an American humorist, author, and director for radio and the stage. He won a Tony Award and was selected for two Pulitzer Prizes, only one of which was awarded. Ear ...

, the preem show sailed along effortlessly in the warm, relaxed groove so characteristic of the groaner." During the season the audience share was 18.0 which put the singer in ninth place overall for evening programmes. The top position was held by the

Jack Benny show ''The Jack Benny Program'', starring Jack Benny, is a radio-TV comedy series that ran for more than three decades and is generally regarded as a high-water mark in 20th century American comedy. He played one role throughout his radio and televis ...

with a rating of 25.3. The ratings were now being collected by the

AC Nielsen The Nielsen Corporation, self-referentially known as The Nielsen Company, and formerly known as ACNielsen or AC Nielsen, is a global marketing research firm, with worldwide headquarters in New York City, United States. Regional headquarters for ...

company which used the audiometer, a mechanical black box inserted into a radio set to record stations being listened. In March 1950, a survey came out with "the greatest radio personalities during the last 25 years". The survey named Crosby the number 2 personality behind

Jack Benny Jack Benny (born Benjamin Kubelsky, February 14, 1894 – December 26, 1974) was an American entertainer who evolved from a modest success playing violin on the vaudeville circuit to one of the leading entertainers of the twentieth century wit ...

. Entertainer Bob Hope and comedic duo

Amos 'n' Andy ''Amos 'n' Andy'' is an American radio sitcom about black characters, initially set in Chicago and later in the Harlem section of New York City. While the show had a brief life on 1950s television with black actors, the 1928 to 1960 radio show ...

were tied for the number 3 spot.

Season two

This season of the program was known for its list of guest stars, including Bob Hope,

Dorothy Kirsten Dorothy Kirsten (July 6, 1910, Montclair, New Jersey – November 18, 1992, Los Angeles, California) was an American operatic soprano. Biography Kirsten's mother was an organist and music teacher, her grandfather was a conductor, and her great-a ...

Burl Ives Burl Icle Ivanhoe Ives (June 14, 1909 – April 14, 1995) was an American musician, actor, and author with a career that spanned more than six decades. Ives began his career as an itinerant singer and guitarist, eventually launching his own rad ...

, Dick Powell,

, Hopalong Cassidy, Louis Armstrong,

Fred Astaire Fred Astaire (born Frederick Austerlitz; May 10, 1899 – June 22, 1987) was an American dancer, choreographer, actor, and singer. He is often called the greatest dancer in Hollywood film history. Astaire's career in stage, film, and tele ...

Dinah Shore Dinah Shore (born Frances Rose Shore; February 29, 1916 – February 24, 1994) was an American singer, actress, and television personality, and the top-charting female vocalist of the 1940s. She rose to prominence as a recording artist during ...

and

Nat King Cole Nathaniel Adams Coles (March 17, 1919 – February 15, 1965), known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American singer, jazz pianist, and actor. Cole's music career began after he dropped out of school at the age of 15, and continued f ...

. The December 20, 1950 broadcast of the program featured Crosby's then wife

Dixie Lee Dixie Lee (born Wilma Winifred Wyatt; November 4, 1909 – November 1, 1952) was an American actress, dancer, and singer. She was the first wife of singer Bing Crosby. Biography She was born Wilma Winifred Wyatt in Harriman, Tennessee, on N ...

and their four boys Gary, Dennis,

Phillip Philip, also Phillip, is a male given name, derived from the Greek (''Philippos'', lit. "horse-loving" or "fond of horses"), from a compound of (''philos'', "dear", "loved", "loving") and (''hippos'', "horse"). Prominent Philips who popularize ...

and Lindsay.

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

summed up the opening show on October 11, 1950 saying, "If Crosby can keep banging it in, in the weeks to come as he did on the tee-off, it’s going to take some doing by the others to keep him out of the first ten." However the audience share for the season was only 10.0 and the show did not figure in the top 20 ratings as assessed by Nielsen. The top radio show for the season was the

Lux Radio Theatre ''Lux Radio Theatre'', sometimes spelled ''Lux Radio Theater'', a classic radio anthology series, was broadcast on the NBC Blue Network (1934–35) (owned by the National Broadcasting Company, later predecessor of American Broadcasting Company ...

with a rating of only 21.0 reflecting the increasing impact of television. The second season of the program was also noted for resurrecting the career of actress

Judy Garland Judy Garland (born Frances Ethel Gumm; June 10, 1922June 22, 1969) was an American actress and singer. While critically acclaimed for many different roles throughout her career, she is widely known for playing the part of Dorothy Gale in '' The ...

. Judy's drug addiction and unreliability had led

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded on April 17, 1924 ...

to release her from her contract there in September 1950. Depressed and broke, and having recently attempted suicide, Judy was invited to become a semi-regular on the program, appearing eight times during the season, until she secured a concert engagement at the

London Palladium The London Palladium () is a Grade II* West End theatre located on Argyll Street, London, in the famous area of Soho. The theatre holds 2,286 seats. Of the roster of stars who have played there, many have televised performances. Between 1955 a ...

in April 1951.

"Bing's Month"

and Paramount Pictures declared the month of January 1951 "Bing's Month" in honor of Crosby's 20th year as a solo artist in show business.

Art Linkletter Arthur Gordon Linkletter (born Gordon Arthur Kelly or Arthur Gordon Kelly; sources differ; July 17, 1912 – May 26, 2010) was a Canadian-born American radio and television personality. He was the host of ''Art Linkletter's House Party, House Par ...

hosted a half-hour tribute to Crosby over CBS radio on January 9. On January 7, the

Liberty Broadcasting System The Liberty Broadcasting System was a U.S. radio network of the late 1940s and early 1950s founded by Gordon McLendon, which mainly broadcast live recreations of Major League Baseball games, by following the action via Western Union ticker reports. ...

from its

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

affiliate

KMPC KMPC (1540 AM, "Radio Korea", 라디오코리아) is a commercial radio station in Los Angeles, California. It is owned by P&Y Broadcasting Corporation. Radio Korea is a division of the Radio Korea Media Group. The station airs Korean– ...

broadcast an hour-long tribute to Crosby hosted by Ross Mulholland and featuring interviews with

Paul Whiteman Paul Samuel Whiteman (March 28, 1890 – December 29, 1967) was an American bandleader, composer, orchestral director, and violinist. As the leader of one of the most popular dance bands in the United States during the 1920s and early 1930s, W ...

Tommy Dorsey Thomas Francis Dorsey Jr. (November 19, 1905 – November 26, 1956) was an American jazz trombonist, composer, conductor and bandleader of the big band era. He was known as the "Sentimental Gentleman of Swing" because of his smooth-toned trombo ...

Russ Morgan Russell Morgan (April 29, 1904 – August 7, 1969) was an American big band leader and arranger during the 1930s and 1940s. He was best known for being the one of the composers of the song "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You", with Larry Stock ...

Jane Wyman Jane Wyman ( ; born Sarah Jane Mayfield; January 5, 1917 – September 10, 2007)"Actress, P ...

, The Andrews Sisters, Johnny Burke, Jerry Lewis,

Victor Young Albert Victor Young (August 8, 1899– November 10, 1956)"Victor Young, Composer, Dies of Heart Attack", ''Oakland Tribune'', November 12, 1956. was an American composer, arranger, violinist and conductor. Biography Young is commonly said to ...

, Frank Capra and others.

Season three

The opening show was on October 3, 1951 and ''Variety'' welcomed it with "Bing Crosby is probably one of the most affable performers in radio. Year in and year out, he’s held a commanding position on the air by virtue of warm, easy verbiage and a song style that’s made him the number one pop-singer. His return to the airways after a summer hiatus indicates that Crosby will maintain his audiences." Unfortunately, ''Variety'' was wrong and this season of the program would prove to be the last as Chesterfield decided to drop the show. Radio audiences were falling because of the impact of television and Chesterfield cigarettes decided to use their advertising budget on the new medium. The show did not reach the top 20 Nielsen ratings and the most highly rated radio show for the season was the '' Amos ‘n’ Andy'' program with 17.0. The series ended on June 25, 1952. Sponsorship for Crosby moved from Chesterfield to

General Electric General Electric Company (GE) is an American multinational conglomerate founded in 1892, and incorporated in New York state and headquartered in Boston. The company operated in sectors including healthcare, aviation, power, renewable en ...

and in the fall of 1952, ''

The Bing Crosby Show for General Electric ''The Bing Crosby Show for General Electric'' was a 30-minute variety (radio), variety old-time radio program starring entertainer Bing Crosby. The series ran on CBS radio from 1952-1954. The series was sponsored by the General Electric company an ...

'' premiered.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bing Crosby - Chesterfield Show, The American variety radio programs American jazz radio programs 1949 radio programme debuts 1952 radio programme endings Bing Crosby